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Naval Academy Museum Director Announced

The Naval Academy Academic Dean and Provost recently announced that Lt. Cmdr. Claude Berube will take over as permanent director in charge of the Naval Academy Museum in Preble Hall.

Berube has served as interim director for more than a year since the retirement of Dr. J. Scott Harmon. The museum director is responsible for the museum’s administrative and financial business. He establishes policy, promotes community relations, and gives general guidance to the staff.

“The members of the search committee and I are really impressed with Claude’s creativity and vision for what the Naval Academy Museum can do to benefit both the midshipmen and the general public,” said Academic Dean and Provost Andrew Phillips.

As interim director, Berube supervised the development of the War of 1812 exhibit in Mahan Hall, comprised of items from the Naval Academy Museum and the collection of William I. Koch. He also advised Ensign Chris O’Keefe in the development of the podcast series “A History of the Navy in 100 Objects.”

“In just one year, Claude has opened our eyes to many new ways that the museum can be more fully integrated into the teaching and learning environment, while at the same time headlining our academy efforts in celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812,” said Phillips. “We are all very excited that he will be leading these kinds of efforts for many years ahead.”

Berube, an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, holds two master’s degrees, one in history from Northeastern University and one in national security studies from the Naval War College. He was a 2004 Brookings Institution LEGIS Fellow and a 2010 Maritime Security Studies Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. He has worked in the Office of Naval Intelligence and the U.S. Senate, and taught courses in government and national security at the Naval Academy.

The U.S. Naval Academy Museum welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually from all over the world. It offers two floors of exhibits about the history of seapower, the development of the U.S. Navy, and the role of the U.S. Naval Academy in producing officers capable of leading America's sailors and marines.

The museum displays combine historical artifacts with video and audio technology to bring to life the stories of the men and women who have served their country at sea. The displays follow the story of the U.S. Navy from its birth during the American Revolution to today's modern fleet.

Highlights include Oliver Hazard Perry's famous "Don't Give Up the Ship" flag from the Battle of Lake Erie, a piece of USS Monitor, and a video and light display illustrating the attack on Pearl Harbor. The museum also houses the largest collection of 17th and 18 century ship models on public display in North America.